The Train
by The May Waters
Summary: A simple train ride to school changes their lives more than they expected. One-Shot. AU.


The Train

SI Foote

It was early in the morning. The first train was getting ready to leave the station and Lily Evans was waiting on the worn, purple velvet cushions of the compartment. Lily was returning to Scotland for school after a summer at home with her family. She was attending University and decided to take a summer break, something she hadn't had in years. She stared out the window at the crowded platform. Families and passengers were clamoring to wave to their goodbyes, but Lily's parents had already left. Lily lolled her head against the window and let her eyes drift closed. It was an early morning.

She took a deep breath and felt drool caked against the corner of her mouth. Lily's eyes shot open and she quickly sat up, rubbing at the dried spit with her left hand. Embarrassed she had fallen asleep against the train window easily, she took a moment to look around at the passengers that had joined her on the train ride.

"We've already been through a few stops, but you were so peaceful I didn't want to wake you." A voice next to her said. She turned to look at a man about her age with the messiest hair she had seen.

"I'm going to Scotland anyway." She shrugged. "What time is it?"

"Eight-thirty, you've been out since the train left the first station. Scotland is a far trip." He commented.

"Didn't sleep too long then." Lily covered her mouth as she yawned. "I go to school in Scotland. Where are you going?"

"Scotland as well." He chuckled and offered her a hand. "I'm James, James Potter."

"For a second I thought you were going to say Bond." She took his hand. "Lily Evans."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Evans, but I'm afraid I'm not cool enough to be a Bond. I do own several suits." Lily laughed. She looked around the compartment. The other passengers were sleeping as well, peacefully resting against each other in some cases. "Any idea who these other five are?"

"These three are my mates, but like you, they were tired." He pointed at the one next to him and the two directly across. Then he pointed at the one across from Lily, occupying the other window seat. "No idea who that bloke is."

Lily looked at him closer. He had long black hair and was dressed in a black button up that had to be horrendously hot with the summer weather and jeans. Lily thought she recognized him from somewhere.

"I think he might go to the same University as me, enrolled in the culinary program."

"And what mysterious University would this be?"

"Hogwarts, the school for-"

"The Arts and Medicine." James finished. "That's where we attend as well."

"No way." Lily gasped. "I haven't once run into you."

"It is a large campus." He shrugged. "What major are you in?"

"Culinary. I love cooking. What about you?"

"I'm in Psychology." James turned slightly in his seat so he faced her. "It's taking me a while to complete my degree because I play Rugby for the University."

"I love rugby! I wonder how I haven't noticed you before." Lily pursed her lips.

"I just made first string last semester; I haven't been playing in the games until recently."

"Potter." She whispered. "You're that new first string person that everyone keeps talking about because you got the ball out from the base of a tackle after you were pinned."

"It wasn't anything major."

"Your move won us the game." Lily was bemused.

"The entire point is to keep the ball in play."

"Humble."

"Mornin' Prongs," a sleepy voice from across the compartment greeted.

"Done with your nap Moony?" James looked over his shoulder.

"You're just as chipper as ever." The man grumbled. "Please tell me that breakfast is soon."

"I would suppose so, it's fifteen to nine."

"Bloody hell, that late already?" Another man asked. "Moony, your arm is too boney to sleep on comfortably."

"Good morning to you too Padfoot."

"I assume those are nicknames and not your real names." Lily piped up, looking at James who had been called 'Prongs' earlier.

"Yeah, we've had them for years. Since Secondary School." James explained.

"This idiot over here is Sirius Black, you might've heard of his family—they're the-"

"Models?" Lily's left eyebrow lifted.

"That's the one." He pretended to shoot her with a finger gun. "I'm not a model though. I'm studying to be a Vet."

"Exciting." Lily looked at Moony. "And you?"

"Remus Lupin, I'm majoring in Astronomy."

"You all are quite separated major wise. I'm Lily Evans, Culinary."

"The doofus still sleeping is Peter Pettigrew. He's in the Medicine department. Peter is studying rats and mice, how to fix spinal cord damage. Early stages before they start to study it on humans."

"Impressive."

"Probably why he's so exhausted. He had a few rats escape in Prongs' house last night."

"They were not fun to hunt down. I can tell you that." James laughed.

"I guess you go to Hogwarts then too, Lily?" Remus asked.

-oOo-

They talked for the hours that it took to complete the ride. Eventually waking Peter and convincing him to play a game of cards with them. The other man in the compartment had woken up when they started yelling over the cards. He'd been annoyed and left, spending the rest of the train ride in the hall.

"Give me your number," James said as they stepped out onto the platform with their bags. Lily looked up at him in surprise. "So we can meet up on campus for lunch or dinner sometime. All five of us."

"Sounds great." Lily pulled out her cell and handed it to him.

"I'll program in the boys too, in case you want to talk to them at all."

"Thanks James, you're a really nice guy." She took his hand when she took her phone back. "Perhaps I'll take a few classes over in your Psychology department."

"I'd love to tutor you if you need help." He pulled his hand away.

"See you around, Evans."


End file.
